1. Field of the Invention
Farm equipment; construction equipment
2. Description of the Prior Art
Occasionally a descriptive term in this application may be shortened so as to recite only a part rather than the entirety thereof as a matter of convenience or to avoid needless redundancy. In instances in which that is done, applicant intends that the same meaning be afforded each manner of expression. Thus, the term sector channel guide (8) might be used in one instance but in another, if meaning is otherwise clear from context, expression might be shortened to channel guide (8) or merely guide (8). Any of those forms is intended to convey the same meaning.
The term attach or fasten or any of their forms when so used means that the juncture is of a more or less permanent nature, such as might be accomplished by nails, screws, welds or adhesives. Thus, it is stated herein that the piston rod (9) is attached to the moveable frame (1). A connection in which one object is easily removed from another would, if relevant herein, be described by the word emplace. Employment of the words connector join or any of their forms is intended to include the meaning of both in a more general way.
The word comprise may be construed in either of two ways herein. A generic term used to describe a given one of a number of specific elements is said to comprise it, thereby characterizing the specific element with equivalency in meaning for the generic term. Thus, an extender (4) may be said to comprise a scraper support (24), meaning that in the particular case, the extender (4) is a scraper support (24). However, the word comprise may also be used to describe a feature which is part of the structure or composition of a given element. Thus, a hydraulic piston cylinder (2) may be said to comprise a piston rod (9), meaning that the structure of the cylinder (2) is such as to have the piston rod (9) as a feature of its structure. The meaning in the respective cases is clear from context, however. Accordingly, modifying words to clarify which of the two uses is the intended one seem unnecessary.
The words forward or rearward and root variations thereof are intended to designate the situs of an object described with reference to the orientation of the operator of a given utility vehicle. Thus, when a spear (14) is discussed in terms of frontal attachment or forward movement, reference is intended to be consistent with the direction the front of the vehicle (100) points as well as that in which the operator faces while driving it (100).
The word multiply may connote either of two intended meanings. Its use as a verb is, of course, well known. However, when employed herein as an adjective, it denotes plurality, such as the expression multiply arrayed spears (14).
In both farming and construction, it is occasionally useful to have the capability of grasping substantially sized bundles or masses of hay, manure or similar materials and moving them about with a utility vehicle (100) of one sort or another. For such use, forward projecting tines or spears (14) may be employed. It is also useful to have the capability of lowering an elastic scraper (23) and moving it (23) along a floor for cleaning purposes in the fashion of a squeegee. Operations of both sorts at first depended upon certain operable linkages mechanical in nature--such as chains, wires and booms--but ultimately were made to rely upon hydraulic systems.
The loading bucket (101) itself is extremely useful in scooping dirt, gravel, manure or other loose grainy materials; in lifting and transporting substantial volumes of those or other materials; and in digging or gouging operations. It has even become an occasional practice to configure the bottom (104) of the bucket (101), at the front thereof (101), with a chiseled edge (102). Because they are fixed in place so as to present an obstruction, frontal accessories used in prior art generally require that one forego use of the loading bucket (101) for its (101) usual or traditional intended purpose.
A hydraulic system comprises a sealed hydraulic cylinder (2) into which hydraulic oil-like fluid passes to push a piston rod (9) within it (2) along its (2) length and beyond so as to accomplish necessary work. The piston rod (9) is designed, of course, to remain anchored or stopped within the cylinder (2) so that it does not fall out of it (2) when extended. Moreover, such configuration provides a fixed limit to the maximum distance the piston rod (9) extends from the cylinder (2). Operably, however, the piston (9) rod may be made to extend to any intermediate position. Because the hydraulic fluid for all practical purposes retains its volume without compression, the force it exerts can be transmitted a considerable distance through hydraulic feeder lines (3). Variations in cylinder (2) volume can provide within the system mechanical advantage, as that terminology is used in matters of physics.
Especially useful are cylinders (2) which allow the fluid to enter on either side of the piston rod (9) within, thus allowing the piston rod (9) to accomplish work first in a forward direction and then a reverse one, depending upon the particular need. For such a two-way or reciprocal system, as designated herein, a pair of hydraulic feeder lines (3) is, of course, required. Typically, the operator manipulates a hand lever to engage the cylinder (2), causing hydraulic fluid to act through one of the feeder lines (3) and move the cylinder piston rod (9) in the direction selected. To reverse the direction of the piston rod (9) the operator manipulates either a second hand lever or, if the system is so designed, the same one in a reverse manner. A variety of hand controls are known in the art.
Since hydraulic systems have already become popular as the power mechanisms employed to manipulate a loader bucket in one dimension or another, they would conveniently lend themselves to empower the operations inherent to frontal accessories of the sort discussed herein.
The vehicles with which frontal implements of the sort discussed herein--spears (14) or elastic scrapers (23)--have been employed at prior art might comprise a tractor (100) rigged up with a frontally disposed utility bucket (101) but, more commonly, one generally known as a "front end loader", occasionally dubbed a "skid steer" (100). The vehicle (100) is one whose various powered bucket (101) lifting and tilting is accomplished by the lever manipulated hydraulic mechanisms mentioned supra. Thus, the frontally disposed bucket (101) may be lowered to the ground and pivoted on a horizontal axis such that material is scooped into its (101) cavity; then raised and tipped to dump its (101) contents at a location the loader vehicle (100) has taken it to. Even without employing the bucket (101), material such as hay and manure may be collected on an array of tine-like spears (14) of the sort developed in prior art and moved in similar fashion.
While the multiply arrayed frontal spears (14) and the elastic scrapers (23) of prior art have been useful in their employment, no provision had been made to facilitate conversion to alternative traditional use of the vehicle (100) and bucket (101) de hors that implementation (14, 23). Thus, if the operator, after either using the scraper (23) for cleaning purposes or the spears (14) for transport of a bundle of hay or the like, desired to employ the bucket (101) to which either the spears (14) or scraper (23) was attached, he or she would be obliged to disconnect that implementation (14, 23) from the system and then attach or otherwise connect a simple bucket (101) in its place.
Though not a necessity, it would also be useful if the same mechanism could be used to conveniently alternate between spear (14) arrayal and squeegee operations. It would seem sufficient that the invention provides both a retractable spear (14) arrayal and a retractable squeegee. Separate loading buckets (101) would, respectively, accommodate the two applications. There would, thus, be a first bucket (101) comprising a moveable frame (1) and spear (14) array and a second one (101), an elastic scraper (23). While projectability and retractability of each of those assemblies would seem to be meritworthy on their own, in the further interest of economy, it would be of considerable benefit to allow one to change from spear (14) to squeegee operation without having to disengage one loading bucket (101) to connect to another (101). It would, thus, be useful that the invention repose in an embodiment by which an elastic scraper (23) might be mounted directly upon spears (14).
The following patents comprise mechanisms in which spears (14) employed with a utility vehicle (100) are bolted in place: U.S. Pat. No. Des. 141,9483 issued to Michaels; U.S. Pat. No. 2,419,493 issued to Hoff; U.S. Pat. No. 2,446,827 issued to Hall; U.S. Pat. No. 2,496,563 issued to Siems; U.S. Pat. No. 2,612,280 issued to Stueland; U.S. Pat. No. 3,325,023 issued to Coleman; U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,933 issued to Simpson; U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,388 issued to Westendorf; U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,567 issued to Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,837 issued to Vandewater; U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,985 issued to Schremmer; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 361,772 issued to Hulsey.
The following patents comprise mechanisms in which hydraulic power is employed for such functions as, for example, tipping the loading bucket: Hoff, supra; U.S. Pat. No. 2,652,939 issued to Burch; U.S. Pat. No. 2,868,399 issued to Fortier, U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,331 issued to Guest; U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,844 issued to Duffield; Vandewater, supra; Schremmer, supra; Hulsey, supra.
Of all of the foregoing, the following patents comprise devices used in fork lift application: Coleman, supra; Guest, supra; and Duffield, supra.
There are, incidentally, in the prior art several devices by which tines, or spears (14), or other work accessories are disposed rearward of the utility vehicle (100) employed such that they are effectually dragged across or in the ground. Except for Fortier, supra, applicant considers those too remote in concept for consideration herein.
The needs or objectives pointed out supra thus far remain only partly addressed in the prior art. Some have not been met at all.